Rep. Sykes to Department of Education: Release All Frozen Funding to Ensure Our Students Receive the Education they Deserve
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought, demanding they unfreeze more than $7.5 million in funding for K-12 schools in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District. This funding freeze could impact more than 117,000 students in Ohio's 13th Congressional District including more than 18,000 students with disabilities and more than 69,000 economically disadvantaged students. Rep. Sykes insisted that this funding be immediately released, because without it, schools are facing difficult and unnecessary decisions on how to fund essential programs.
“Our public schools are legally obligated to serve every student, regardless of need, as they should,” wrote Rep. Sykes. “The school districts in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District serve over 117,000 students and must continue to do so whether they have the funding or not, “Review of these programs should not prevent or delay the Administration’s fulfillment of its legal obligation to the people of Ohio’s 13th Congressional District.”
School districts in Summit and Stark Counties received more than $7.5 million in FY25 for Titles II-A, III-A, and IV-A. That funding included $2,648,912 for Stark County and $4,853,042 for Summit County. This amount does not include previously appropriated Title I-C allocations.
Title II-A for professional development: The purpose of the program is to provide grants to state educational agencies (SEAs) and subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to increase student achievement consistent with the challenging state academic standards; improve the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals, and other school leaders; increase the number of teachers, principals, and other school leaders who are effective in improving student academic achievement in schools; and provide low-income and minority students greater access to effective teachers, principals, and other school leaders.
Title III-A for English-learner services: This program is designed to improve the education of English Learner (EL) children and youth by helping them learn English and meet challenging state academic content and student academic achievement standards.
Title IV-A for academic enrichment: The Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) Program improves student's academic achievement by increasing the capacity of states, local educational agencies, schools and local communities to provide all students with access to a well-rounded education, improve school conditions for student learning, and improve the use of technology in order to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy for all students.
In March, on a bipartisan basis, Congress passed, and President Trump signed into law, this federal funding for public schools. Constitutionally, only Congress can determine the appropriation of such funds; no administration can block the will of Congress and the people in disbursing this funding. Anything to the contrary is unconstitutional, illegal and unfaithful to the very ideals of our nation.
On June 30, 2025, just one day before these funds became available for release, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce was notified that more than $7.5 million of federal funding was being withheld from Ohio’s 13th Congressional District by the Department of Education and Office of Management and Budget. This late-breaking decision, which provided no timeline for which states can expect a final decision, is leaving states financially vulnerable and forcing many to make last minute decisions about how to proceed with K-12 education in this upcoming school year.
The full letter can be found here.